LH Shares Gain Following Publication of New Plasma Detect MRD Data

Labcorp LH recently announced that the Labcorp Plasma Detect was featured in two recent peer-reviewed publications – Nature Medicine and Clinical Cancer Research. Labcorp Plasma Detect is a tumor-informed, blood-based assay used to detect molecular residual disease (MRD) from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). 

Predicting LH Stock Movement Following the News

Following the announcement, Labcorp’s shares edged up 0.4%, finishing at $261.47 yesterday. 

Labcorp’s Plasma Detect MRD technology provides critical insights that can aid future treatment strategies and deepen the understanding of tumor biology. We expect that this latest development will further support positive market sentiment toward LH stock in the coming days.

Labcorp has a market capitalization of $22.78 billion. The company’s earnings yield of 5.9% compares favorably with the industry’s 4%. In the trailing four quarters, it delivered an average earnings surprise of 2.52%. 

LH’s Plasma Detect Supports New DPM Therapies

A study published in Nature Medicine provides encouraging results for patients with diffuse pleural mesothelioma (DPM), a rare and deadly cancer often linked to asbestos exposure. Researchers evaluated two immune-based treatment regimens given before surgery. Both approaches proved safe and enabled most patients to proceed with surgery. 

Notably, patients receiving neoadjuvant dual immune checkpoint blockade showed signals of durable clinical response. The study also demonstrated that Labcorp Plasma Detect can track early disease progression and predict long-term, progression-free survival. These findings suggest that perioperative immunotherapy combined with ctDNA monitoring may help shape new, more effective treatment strategies.

LH’s Plasma Detect Enhances Post-Surgery Cancer Detection

According to findings published in Clinical Cancer Research, postoperative surgical-drain fluid from head and neck cancer patients harbors a greater concentration of tumor-derived DNA compared with matched peripheral blood samples. Using Labcorp Plasma Detect, researchers compared lymph fluid to plasma collected 24 hours post-surgery. They found that lymph-based testing effectively identified residual cancer, particularly in patients with locoregional recurrence, highlighting risk in individuals who might otherwise go undetected by traditional pathology methods. 

The findings suggest that adding postoperative lymph fluid testing to plasma monitoring could support quicker, more precise treatment decisions and better outcomes in HPV-independent head and neck cancer.

Industry Prospects Favor LH

Per a Grand View Research report, the global cancer diagnostics market size was estimated at $109.61 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $155.07 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.14% from 2025 to 2030. The growth of the cancer diagnostics market is attributed to rising prevalence of cancer, technological advancements in diagnostics procedures, and increasing initiatives undertaken by private & public organizations.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Another Development by LH

Labcorp recently entered into a strategic agreement with Parkview Health to acquire select assets of the latter’s outreach laboratory services that provide high-quality testing across Indiana and northwest Ohio.

LH Stock Price Performance

In the past year, LH shares have risen 8.8% compared to the industry’s 3% decline.

LH’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Labcorp currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Medpace Holdings MEDP, Intuitive Surgical ISRG and Boston Scientific BSX.

Medpace, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reported a third-quarter 2025 EPS of $3.86, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.29%. Revenues of $659.9 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.04%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

MEDP has an estimated earnings growth rate of 17.1% for 2025 compared with the industry’s 16.6% growth. The company beat on earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 14.28%.

Intuitive Surgical, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, posted a third-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.40, which exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.6%. Revenues of $2.51 billion topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.9%.

ISRG has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 15.7% compared with the industry’s 11.9% growth. The company’s earnings outpaced estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.34%.

Boston Scientific, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2, reported a third-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of 75 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.6%. Revenues of $5.07 billion outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.9%.

BSX has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 16.4% compared with the industry’s 13.5% growth. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 7.36%.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research